Iviii LIFE OF BACON. 



order was given that the matter should be heard at York 

 House, before an assembly of councillors, peers, and judges, 

 and some audience of men of quality to be admitted.&quot; 00 



Such were the measures adopted by the Queen to dispel, 

 as she termed them, &quot; the bruits and malicious imputa 

 tions&quot; of her people; but, jealous of their affections, she 

 resented every murmur of public disapprobation by some 

 new severity to Essex; and her conduct, neither marked 

 by strict justice, or generous forgiveness, exhibited more 

 of the caprice of an angry woman than the steady resent 

 ment of an offended monarch. What calamities would 

 have been averted, if, instead of suffering herself to be 

 hurried by this conflict of agitated feelings, the Queen had 

 attended to the advice of Bacon, whose care for her honour, 

 and love for his friend, might have been safely trusted, 

 and who looking through the present, decided upon conse 

 quences with a certainty almost prophetic. The most 

 profound statesman of the present day, possessed of all the 

 light which history gives him, can add nothing to the 

 prudent politic course which Bacon pointed out to the 

 Queen. She rejected this advice with a blind despotism 

 that would neither be counselled with or against her incli 

 nations, and fearing and suspecting all around her, ruined 

 the man she wished to save, and eventually made total 

 wreck of her own peace of mind. 



It was determined that proceedings should be instituted ; 

 but, as the Queen assured Bacon, only &quot; ad castigationem 

 non ad destructionem&quot; not to taint the character of Essex, 

 by which he might be rendered unable to bear office about 

 her person, but before a selected council, &quot; inter domesticos 

 parietes, non luce forensi.&quot; (o) This resolution having been 

 formed, the Queen s counsel learned in the law, were 



(11) See note 3 W at the end. (o) See 3 X at the end. 



